Combustion-powered fastener-driving tools are of course well-known in the art and basically comprise a combustion chamber, within which a fuel-air mixture is adapted to be ignited, and a piston-cylinder assembly disposed in communication with the combustion chamber. The piston-cylinder assembly comprises a piston member, movably disposed within a cylinder and having, for example, a first surface portion oriented toward or facing the combustion chamber such that the air-fuel mixture disposed and combusted within the combustion chamber can act upon the piston member thereby forcing the same to move from its initial, retracted START position to its subsequent, extended DRIVEN position, and a driver blade integrally connected to a second surface portion of the piston member and adapted to encounter and drive a fastener component out from the fastener-driving tool. During the combustion phase of the combustion-powered cycle, when the air-fuel mixture is ignited, a substantial amount of heat is normally generated, however, it is extremely important to adequately cool the fastener-driving tool in order to ensure the fact that the fastener-driving tool will continue to perform properly. More particularly, it is important to properly cool such combustion-powered fastener-driving tools in order to achieve and maintain desirable power and cyclic speed levels characteristic of such tools. For example, when the tool is not properly or sufficiently cooled whereby the prevailing temperature level of the tool is excessive, the proper or desired amount or volume of air or oxygen is not able to be charged into the combustion chamber. Accordingly, the stoichiometric ratio of the air-fuel mixture will not be as desired or required, and therefore, the power output parameters or characteristics of the tool will not be achieved. As a result of the power output parameters or characteristics of the tool not being able to be achieved, in accordance with the tool specifications, the fasteners will not be able to be properly driven into their substrates to the desired insertion level. In other words, for example, the head portions of the fasteners will project above the external surface of the substrate as opposed to being properly driven into the substrates such that the head portions of the fasteners will be flush with or embedded within the external surface of the substrate. In a similar manner, when the tool is not properly or sufficiently cooled whereby the prevailing temperature level of the tool is excessive, the exhaust gases or residual air disposed within the combustion chamber are not condensed to the desired degree. Accordingly, the piston is not able to be fully returned to its initial or START position at the commencement of a new tool firing cycle. Not only will this, again, potentially affect the power output of the tool in view of the fact that the drive piston will not be able to achieve a full and complete power stroke, but in addition, the cyclic timing or operational speed of the machine will be retarded. Still yet further, the tool may also be subjected to misfiring.
Accordingly, a need exists in the art for a new and improved cooling system for combustion-powered fastener-driving tools wherein the new and improved cooling system can more efficiently cool the fastener-driving tool and thereby maintain the fastener-driving tool at a desirable temperature level despite the substantial amount of heat normally generated during each combustion cycle.